0001104659-15-018419.txt : 20150310 0001104659-15-018419.hdr.sgml : 20150310 20150310112720 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-15-018419 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20150310 ITEM INFORMATION: Regulation FD Disclosure ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20150310 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20150310 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: UNITED THERAPEUTICS Corp CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001082554 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834] IRS NUMBER: 521984749 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-26301 FILM NUMBER: 15687646 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1040 SPRING ST CITY: SILVER SPRING STATE: MD ZIP: 20910 BUSINESS PHONE: 3016089292 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1040 SPRING ST CITY: SILVER SPRING STATE: MD ZIP: 20910 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19990324 8-K 1 a15-6474_18k.htm 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  March 10, 2015

 

United Therapeutics Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

 

000-26301

 

52-1984749

(State or Other

 

(Commission

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Jurisdiction of

 

File Number)

 

Identification Number)

Incorporation)

 

 

 

 

 

1040 Spring Street

 

 

Silver Spring, MD

 

20910

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (301) 608-9292

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o           Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o           Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o           Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o           Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

On March 10, 2015, United Therapeutics Corporation issued the press releases attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, which are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01.  Exhibits.

 

This information shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to liability under that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

(d)  Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description of Exhibit

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press release dated March 10, 2015

 

 

 

99.2

 

Press release dated March 10, 2015

 

2



 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

Dated: March 10, 2015

By:

/s/ Paul A. Mahon

 

Name:

Paul A. Mahon

 

Title:

General Counsel

 

3



 

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description of Exhibit

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press release dated March 10, 2015

 

 

 

99.2

 

Press release dated March 10, 2015

 

4


EX-99.1 2 a15-6474_1ex99d1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

For Immediate Release
For Further Information Contact:
James Edgemond
(301) 608-9292
Jedgemond@unither.com

 

FDA Approves Unituxin™ (dinutuximab) for the Treatment of Pediatric High-Risk Neuroblastoma

 

Silver Spring, MD, and Research Triangle Park, NC, March 10, 2015:  United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ: UTHR) announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Unituxin™ (dinutuximab) Injection (formerly called ch14.18), in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA), for the treatment of pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma who achieve at least a partial response to prior first-line multiagent, multimodality therapy.   Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid cancer in childhood and the most common cancer in infancy, with an annual incidence in the United States of approximately 700 patients, of whom 50% are diagnosed as having high-risk disease.  Unituxin is a chimeric biologic antibody that induces cell lysis of GD2-expressing cells through antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytoxicity (CDC) and is part of an immunotherapeutic regimen to treat pediatric high-risk neuroblastoma.

 

The approval was based on demonstration of improved event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in a multicenter, open-label, randomized trial (ANBL0032) conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).  The trial randomized (1:1) 226 patients to either the Unituxin/13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) arm or the RA alone arm.  Patients in each arm received six cycles of treatment.  The Unituxin/RA arm consisted of Unituxin in combination with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor and RA (cycles 1, 3, and 5), Unituxin in combination with interleukin-2 and RA (cycles 2 and 4), and RA (cycle 6).  Patients were 11 months to 15 years of age (median age 3.8 years).

 

The major efficacy outcome measure was investigator-assessed EFS, defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of relapse, progressive disease, secondary malignancy, or death.  At the seventh interim analysis, an improvement in EFS [HR 0.57 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.89); p = 0.01, log-rank test] was demonstrated and four remaining patients undergoing treatment on the RA arm crossed over to receive Unituxin/RA.  The median EFS was not reached (3.4 years, NR) in the Unituxin/RA arm and was 1.9 years (1.3, NR) in the RA arm.  An analysis of overall survival (OS) conducted three years later documented an improvement in OS in the Unituxin/RA arm compared to the RA arm [HR 0.58 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.91)].  At the time of this survival analysis, median OS had not been reached in either arm.

 

The most common serious adverse reactions (> 5%) are infections, infusion reactions, hypokalemia, hypotension, pain, fever, and capillary leak syndrome.

 



 

The most common adverse drug reactions (> 25%) in Unituxin/RA compared with RA alone are pain (85% vs. 16%), pyrexia (72% vs. 27%), thrombocytopenia (66% vs. 43%), lymphopenia (62% vs. 36%), infusion reactions (60% vs. 9%), hypotension (60% vs. 3%), hyponatremia (58% vs. 12%), increased alanine aminotransferase (56% vs. 31%), anemia (51% vs. 22%), vomiting (46% vs. 19%), diarrhea (43% vs. 15%), hypokalemia (43% vs. 4%), capillary leak syndrome (40% vs. 1%), neutropenia (39% vs. 16%), urticaria (37% vs. 3%), hypoalbuminemia (33% vs. 3%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (28% vs. 7%), and hypocalcemia (27% vs. 0%).

 

“This approval has been a collaborative effort between the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Children’s Oncology Group and United Therapeutics for the first approved therapy for pediatric high-risk neuroblastoma,” said Roger Jeffs, Ph.D., United Therapeutics’ President and Co-Chief Executive Officer.  “We are grateful for the FDA’s thorough review and collaboration on this program, and we look forward to expanding our research efforts in the area of pediatric oncology.”

 

“The FDA approval of dinutuximab represents the culmination of a remarkably productive collaboration between researchers of the NCI-supported Children’s Oncology Group, the manufacturing and clinical research groups of NCI, and the oncology team at United Therapeutics,” said Malcolm Smith, MD, Ph.D., Associate Branch Chief, Pediatrics in the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program at NCI.  Children with neuroblastoma will benefit from this collaboration, and the drug development pathway blazed by dinutuximab will likely be followed in the future to develop other novel agents directed against pediatric cancer therapeutic targets.”

 

“After decades of pursuits, I am pleased to see that dinutuximab has received FDA approval and may now benefit high risk neuroblastoma patients,” said Alice Yu, M.D., Ph.D., University of California San Diego and Principle Investigator of the registration study conducted by the COG.  “This is not only the first successful immunotherapeutic to target a non-protein antigen, but also to be developed from an Investigational New Drug application through phase 3 trials largely through investigator-initiated effort and NCI support.”

 

The recommended dose and schedule for Unituxin is 17.5 mg/m2/day as a diluted intravenous infusion over 10 to 20 hours for 4 consecutive days for a maximum of 5 cycles.  Patients require intravenous treatment with opioids prior to, during, and for 2 hours following the Unituxin infusion to mitigate neuropathic pain.  Prior to each Unituxin dose, administer required intravenous hydration and premedication with antihistamines, analgesics, and antipyretics.

 

In connection with the Unituxin approval, United Therapeutics agreed to certain postmarketing requirements (PMRs) and certain postmarketing commitments (PMCs).  PMRs and PMCs are studies that sponsors conduct after FDA approval to gather additional information about a product’s safety, efficacy, or optimal use.  PMRs are required studies, whereas a sponsor voluntarily commits to conduct PMCs.

 

About Unituxin

 

Unituxin (dinutuximab) is a disialoganglioside, GD2-binding chimeric monoclonal antibody (formerly called ch14.18) indicated, in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA), for the treatment of pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma who achieve at least a partial response to prior first-line multiagent, multimodality therapy. The safety and effectiveness of Unituxin was evaluated in a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial conducted in pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.  All patients had received prior therapy consisting of induction combination chemotherapy, maximum feasible surgical resection, myeloablative

 



 

consolidation chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant, and radiation therapy to residual soft tissue disease.

 

Important Safety Information for Unituxin

 

Boxed WARNING

 

·                  Serious Infusion Reactions

 

·                  Serious and potentially life threatening infusion reactions (facial and upper airway edema, dyspnea, bronchospasm, stridor, urticaria, and hypotension) occurred in 26% of patients treated with Unituxin

·                  Administer required prehydration and premedication including antihistamines prior to each Unituxin infusion

·                  Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of an infusion reaction during and for at least four hours following completion of each Unituxin infusion

·                  Immediately interrupt Unituxin for severe infusion reactions and permanently discontinue Unituxin for anaphylaxis

 

·                  Neuropathy

 

·                  Unituxin causes severe neuropathic pain in the majority of patients

·                  Administer intravenous opioid prior to, during, and for 2 hours following completion of the Unituxin infusion

·                  Severe (Grade 3) peripheral sensory neuropathy ranged from 2% to 9% in patients with neuroblastoma

·                  In clinical studies of Unituxin and related GD2-binding antibodies, severe motor neuropathy was observed in adults.  Resolution of motor neuropathy was not documented in all cases

·                  Discontinue Unituxin for severe unresponsive pain, severe sensory neuropathy, or moderate to severe peripheral motor neuropathy

 

CONTRAINDICATIONS

 

Unituxin is contraindicated in patients with a history of anaphylaxis to dinutuximab.

 

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

 

·                  Serious Infusion Reactions

 

·                  Serious infusion reactions requiring urgent intervention including blood pressure support, bronchodilator therapy, corticosteroids, infusion rate reduction, infusion interruption, or permanent discontinuation of Unituxin included facial and upper airway edema, dyspnea, bronchospasm, stridor, urticaria, and hypotension.  Infusion reactions generally occurred during or within 24 hours of completing the Unituxin infusion.  Due to overlapping signs and symptoms, it was not possible to distinguish between infusion reactions and hypersensitivity reactions in some cases.

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) infusion reactions occurred in 35 (26%) patients in the Unituxin/13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) group compared to 1 (1%) patient receiving RA alone

 

·                  Pain and Peripheral Neuropathy

 

·                  Pain:  114 (85%) patients treated in the Unituxin/RA group experienced pain despite pre-treatment with analgesics including morphine sulfate infusion.  Severe (Grade 3) pain

 



 

occurred in 68 (51%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to 5 (5%) patients in the RA group.

·                  Peripheral Neuropathy:  Severe (Grade 3) peripheral sensory neuropathy occurred in 2 (1%) patients and severe peripheral motor neuropathy occurred in 2 (1%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group

 

·                  Capillary Leak Syndrome

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 to 5) capillary leak syndrome occurred in 31 (23%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group and in no patients treated with RA alone

·                  Depending on severity, manage by immediate interruption, infusion rate reduction or permanent discontinuation of Unituxin

 

·                  Hypotension

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) hypotension occurred in 22 (16%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to no patients in the RA group

·                  Prior to each Unituxin infusion, administer required intravenous hydration

·                  Closely monitor blood pressure during Unituxin treatment

·                  Depending on severity, manage by immediate interruption, infusion rate reduction or permanent discontinuation of Unituxin

 

·                  Infection

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) bacteremia requiring intravenous antibiotics or other urgent intervention occurred in 17 (13%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to 5 (5%) patients treated with RA alone.  Sepsis occurred in 24 (18%) of patients in the Unituxin/RA group and in 10 (9%) patients in the RA group

·                  Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of systemic infection and temporarily discontinue Unituxin in patients who develop systemic infection until resolution of the infection

 

·                  Neurological Disorders of the Eye

 

·                  Neurological disorders of the eye experienced by two or more patients treated with Unituxin included blurred vision, photophobia, mydriasis, fixed or unequal pupils, optic nerve disorder, eyelid ptosis, and papilledema

·                  Interrupt Unituxin in patients experiencing dilated pupil with sluggish light reflex or other visual disturbances that do not cause visual loss

·                  Upon resolution and if continued treatment with Unituxin is warranted, decrease the Unituxin dose by 50%

·                  Permanently discontinue Unituxin in patients with recurrent eye disorder following dose reduction and in patients who experience loss of vision

 

·                  Bone Marrow Suppression

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) thrombocytopenia (39% vs. 25%), anemia (34% vs. 16%), neutropenia (34% vs. 13%) and febrile neutropenia (4% vs. 0 patients) occurred more commonly in patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to patients treated with RA alone

·                  Monitor peripheral blood counts closely during Unituxin therapy

 

·                  Electrolyte Abnormalities

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) hypokalemia and hyponatremia occurred in 37% and 23% of patients in the Unituxin/RA group, respectively, compared to 2% and 4% of patients in the RA group

 



 

·                  Monitor serum electrolytes daily during therapy with Unituxin

 

·                  Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

 

·                  Hemolytic uremic syndrome in the absence of documented infection and resulting in renal insufficiency, electrolyte abnormalities, anemia, and hypertension occurred in two patients following receipt of the first cycle of Unituxin

·                  Permanently discontinue Unituxin and institute supportive management

 

·                  Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

 

·                  Unituxin may cause fetal harm

·                  Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus

·                  Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment, and for two months after the last dose of Unituxin

 

ADVERSE REACTIONS

 

The most common adverse drug reactions (> 25%) in Unituxin/RA compared with RA alone are pain (85% vs. 16%), pyrexia (72% vs. 27%), thrombocytopenia (66% vs. 43%), lymphopenia (62% vs. 36%) infusion reactions (60% vs. 9%), hypotension (60% vs. 3%), hyponatremia (58% vs. 12%), increased alanine aminotransferase (56% vs. 31%), anemia (51% vs. 22%), vomiting (46% vs. 19%), diarrhea (43% vs. 15%), hypokalemia (43% vs. 4%), capillary leak syndrome (40% vs. 1%), neutropenia (39% vs. 16%), urticaria (37% vs. 3%), hypoalbuminemia (33% vs. 3%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (28% vs. 7%), and hypocalcemia (27% vs. 0%).

 

The most common serious adverse reactions (> 5%) are infections, infusion reactions, hypokalemia, hypotension, pain, fever, and capillary leak syndrome.

 

Please see Full Prescribing Information including Boxed WARNING for Unituxin, available at http://www.unither.com/UFullPrescribingInformation.PDF.

 

About United Therapeutics

 

United Therapeutics Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening conditions.

 

Forward-looking Statements

 

Statements included in this press release that are not historical in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements include, among others, United Therapeutics’ intention to expand its research efforts in the area of pediatric oncology, the benefit of Unituxin to children, and future development of other novel agents.  These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as those described in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results.  Consequently, such forward-looking statements are qualified by the cautionary statements, cautionary language and risk factors set forth in our periodic reports and documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on

 



 

Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K.  We claim the protection of the safe harbor contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for forward-looking statements.  We are providing this information as of March 10, 2015, and we assume no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.  [uthr-g]

 

UNITUXIN is a trademark of United Therapeutics Corporation.

 


EX-99.2 3 a15-6474_1ex99d2.htm EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

 

For Immediate Release
For Further Information Contact:
James Edgemond
(301) 608-9292
Jedgemond@unither.com

 

United Therapeutics Receives a Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher following the Approval of Unituxin™ for Pediatric High-Risk Neuroblastoma

 

Silver Spring, MD, and Research Triangle Park, NC, March 10, 2015:  United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ: UTHR) announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as part of the Biologics License Application approval for Unituxin, awarded United Therapeutics a Rare Pediatric Priority Review Voucher (PPRV) for neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric disease.

 

The voucher can be sold (without limitation), and the holder of the voucher can redeem it with a subsequently filed New Drug Application or Biologics License Application, requiring FDA to meet the review goals for a priority review, as opposed to a standard review.

 

“We are thrilled to be the recipient of this pediatric priority review voucher, and are grateful to the Creating Hope Act for its instrumental role in making this voucher program available to encourage development of therapies, like Unituxin, for children with rare conditions and high unmet need,” said Roger Jeffs, Ph.D., United Therapeutics’ President and Co-CEO.

 

The PPRV was created in 2012 by the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) to encourage development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases.

 

To qualify to receive a PPRV, a sponsor must submit an application for a drug or biologic intended to prevent or treat a rare pediatric disease.  The rare pediatric disease application also must be eligible for priority review and rely on clinical data derived from studies examining a pediatric population and dosages of the drug intended for that population.

 

About Unituxin

 

Unituxin (dinutuximab) is a disialoganglioside, GD2-binding chimeric monoclonal antibody (formerly called ch14.18) indicated, in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA), for the treatment of pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma who achieve at least a partial response to prior first-line multiagent, multimodality therapy.  The safety and effectiveness of Unituxin was evaluated in a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial conducted in pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.  All patients had received prior therapy consisting of induction combination chemotherapy, maximum feasible surgical resection, myeloablative

 



 

consolidation chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant, and radiation therapy to residual soft tissue disease.

 

Important Safety Information for Unituxin

 

Boxed WARNING

 

·                  Serious Infusion Reactions

 

·                  Serious and potentially life threatening infusion reactions (facial and upper airway edema, dyspnea, bronchospasm, stridor, urticaria, and hypotension) occurred in 26% of patients treated with Unituxin

·                  Administer required prehydration and premedication including antihistamines prior to each Unituxin infusion

·                  Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of an infusion reaction during and for at least four hours following completion of each Unituxin infusion

·                  Immediately interrupt Unituxin for severe infusion reactions and permanently discontinue Unituxin for anaphylaxis

 

·                  Neuropathy

 

·                  Unituxin causes severe neuropathic pain in the majority of patients

·                  Administer intravenous opioid prior to, during, and for 2 hours following completion of the Unituxin infusion

·                  Severe (Grade 3) peripheral sensory neuropathy ranged from 2% to 9% in patients with neuroblastoma

·                  In clinical studies of Unituxin and related GD2-binding antibodies, severe motor neuropathy was observed in adults.  Resolution of motor neuropathy was not documented in all cases

·                  Discontinue Unituxin for severe unresponsive pain, severe sensory neuropathy, or moderate to severe peripheral motor neuropathy

 

CONTRAINDICATIONS

 

Unituxin is contraindicated in patients with a history of anaphylaxis to dinutuximab.

 

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

 

·                  Serious Infusion Reactions

 

·                  Serious infusion reactions requiring urgent intervention including blood pressure support, bronchodilator therapy, corticosteroids, infusion rate reduction, infusion interruption, or permanent discontinuation of Unituxin included facial and upper airway edema, dyspnea, bronchospasm, stridor, urticaria, and hypotension.  Infusion reactions generally occurred during or within 24 hours of completing the Unituxin infusion.  Due to overlapping signs and symptoms, it was not possible to distinguish between infusion reactions and hypersensitivity reactions in some cases.

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) infusion reactions occurred in 35 (26%) patients in the Unituxin/13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) group compared to 1 (1%) patient receiving RA alone

 

·                  Pain and Peripheral Neuropathy

 

·                  Pain:  114 (85%) patients treated in the Unituxin/RA group experienced pain despite pre-treatment with analgesics including morphine sulfate infusion.  Severe (Grade 3) pain

 



 

occurred in 68 (51%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to 5 (5%) patients in the RA group.

·                  Peripheral Neuropathy:  Severe (Grade 3) peripheral sensory neuropathy occurred in 2 (1%) patients and severe peripheral motor neuropathy occurred in 2 (1%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group

 

·                  Capillary Leak Syndrome

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 to 5) capillary leak syndrome occurred in 31 (23%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group and in no patients treated with RA alone

·                  Depending on severity, manage by immediate interruption, infusion rate reduction or permanent discontinuation of Unituxin

 

·                  Hypotension

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) hypotension occurred in 22 (16%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to no patients in the RA group

·                  Prior to each Unituxin infusion, administer required intravenous hydration

·                  Closely monitor blood pressure during Unituxin treatment

·                  Depending on severity, manage by immediate interruption, infusion rate reduction or permanent discontinuation of Unituxin

 

·                  Infection

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) bacteremia requiring intravenous antibiotics or other urgent intervention occurred in 17 (13%) patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to 5 (5%) patients treated with RA alone.  Sepsis occurred in 24 (18%) of patients in the Unituxin/RA group and in 10 (9%) patients in the RA group

·                  Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of systemic infection and temporarily discontinue Unituxin in patients who develop systemic infection until resolution of the infection

 

·                  Neurological Disorders of the Eye

 

·                  Neurological disorders of the eye experienced by two or more patients treated with Unituxin included blurred vision, photophobia, mydriasis, fixed or unequal pupils, optic nerve disorder, eyelid ptosis, and papilledema

·                  Interrupt Unituxin in patients experiencing dilated pupil with sluggish light reflex or other visual disturbances that do not cause visual loss

·                  Upon resolution and if continued treatment with Unituxin is warranted, decrease the Unituxin dose by 50%

·                  Permanently discontinue Unituxin in patients with recurrent eye disorder following dose reduction and in patients who experience loss of vision

 

·                  Bone Marrow Suppression

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) thrombocytopenia (39% vs. 25%), anemia (34% vs. 16%), neutropenia (34% vs. 13%) and febrile neutropenia (4% vs. 0 patients) occurred more commonly in patients in the Unituxin/RA group compared to patients treated with RA alone

·                  Monitor peripheral blood counts closely during Unituxin therapy

 

·                  Electrolyte Abnormalities

 

·                  Severe (Grade 3 or 4) hypokalemia and hyponatremia occurred in 37% and 23% of patients in the Unituxin/RA group, respectively, compared to 2% and 4% of patients in the RA group

 



 

·                  Monitor serum electrolytes daily during therapy with Unituxin

 

·                  Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

 

·                  Hemolytic uremic syndrome in the absence of documented infection and resulting in renal insufficiency, electrolyte abnormalities, anemia, and hypertension occurred in two patients following receipt of the first cycle of Unituxin

·                  Permanently discontinue Unituxin and institute supportive management

 

·                  Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

 

·                  Unituxin may cause fetal harm

·                  Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus

·                  Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment, and for two months after the last dose of Unituxin

 

ADVERSE REACTIONS

 

The most common adverse drug reactions (> 25%) in Unituxin/RA compared with RA alone are pain (85% vs. 16%), pyrexia (72% vs. 27%), thrombocytopenia (66% vs. 43%), lymphopenia (62% vs. 36%), infusion reactions (60% vs. 9%), hypotension (60% vs. 3%), hyponatremia (58% vs. 12%), increased alanine aminotransferase (56% vs. 31%), anemia (51% vs. 22%), vomiting (46% vs. 19%), diarrhea (43% vs. 15%), hypokalemia (43% vs. 4%), capillary leak syndrome (40% vs. 1%), neutropenia (39% vs. 16%), urticaria (37% vs. 3%), hypoalbuminemia (33% vs. 3%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (28% vs. 7%), and hypocalcemia (27% vs. 0%).

 

The most common serious adverse reactions (> 5%) are infections, infusion reactions, hypokalemia, hypotension, pain, fever, and capillary leak syndrome.

 

Please see Full Prescribing Information including Boxed WARNING for Unituxin, available at http://www.unither.com/UFullPrescribingInformation.PDF.

 

About United Therapeutics

 

United Therapeutics Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening conditions.

 

Forward-looking Statements

 

Statements included in this press release that are not historical in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the use or sale of the Rare Pediatric Priority Review Voucher received from FDA.  These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as those described in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results.  Consequently, such forward-looking statements are qualified by the cautionary statements, cautionary language and risk factors set forth in our periodic reports and documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K.  We claim the protection of the safe harbor contained in the Private Securities Litigation

 



 

Reform Act of 1995 for forward-looking statements.  We are providing this information as of March 10, 2015, and assume no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. [uthr-g]

 

UNITUXIN is a trademark of United Therapeutics Corporation.